#1449 - Roll Bending Machine
As a teenager, I worked in my father's factory during the summer break. Nothing too heavy; running around moving stuff, loading and unloading trucks, assembling accessories on doors and windows (that was the industry) and keeping things in order.
The first summer, before I got used to it, that place was like the cave of a magician. It was full of incredible stuff that, in my imagination, could be used for space adventures.
One of the more fascinating machines was the "roll bending machine". It was over three decades ago, but the one I remember is similar to the one in the picture. A heavy piece of machinery with three wheels.
When preparing a round window, we just put a straight aluminium profile in the machine between the three wheels. The tool then moved the profile left and right, slowly and steadily. It was almost hypnotic to watch. At every run, the bar would curve a little more until, after a while, we had a whole rounded piece ready to be used.
Slowness in this process is essential. If we go too quick or put too much pressure, the bar could lose its integrity and, worst case scenario, even break.
That machine reminds me that change takes time. Slowness and patience are vital when we want to reshape the configuration of anything. By exercising the right amount of pressure for the right amount of time, you can reshape almost everything without breaking it.